‘SNL’ Playfully Teases Elf on the Shelf Tradition With Hilarious Sketch

In this weekend’s episode of Saturday Night Live, the cast parodied Elf on the Shelf, with Santa Claus checking in on three elves thanks to some fancy green screen technology. The sketch earned rave reviews from fans at home.

In the sketch, Beck Bennett played Santa, while host Jason Momoa, Melissa Villasenor and Mikey Day played the elves, who were assigned to keep good eyes on their human kids. While the other elves loved their kids, Momoa asked for a new kid since his is now entering puberty and figured out he could do “something with his body and he won’t stop doing it.”

“I hope it’s not fighting with his little brother. That would be very naughty, indeed,” Villasenor said.

“No, this is definitely a solo activity,” Momoa said.

“Is what he’s doing naughty or is it nice?” Santa asked.

“Eh… it’s not really either, Santa,” Momoa replied.

Day’s elf thought this was silly, since all elves know everything humans do is either one or the other.

“This isn’t some black or white thing,” Momoa said. “It’s just this thing humans learn how to do and they go insane for awhile and they do it non-stop. Please, Santa, can I have another kid?”

“But Marshall loves you!” Santa reminded him.

“I know,” Momoa said. “Sometimes he looks at me when he’s doing it. I think he’s just trying to make me a part of it…”

Momoa’s elf also refused to say what Marshall wanted for Christmas. He suggested some soft socks, which might not be soft for long.

In the end, Momoa’s elf did not get a new child to watch over. He did warn Santa to wait a moment before going into his child’s room though because he might hear something.

Fans at home loved the Elf on the Shelf sketch, with some considering it one of the funniest sketches of the season.

“This episode has been so good! Jason Momoa is totally the funniest elf on a shelf,” one fan wrote.

“That Elf on the Shelf sketch became an instant #SNL Christmas classic,” another wrote.

“[Oh my God] that Elf on a Shelf sketch had me roaring,” another viewer wrote.

New episodes of SNL air Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Photo credit: NBC